Multiple users to access a remote VPN through one IP addy.

I'd like to use an added Win2K server on our small corporate network to do a job.  The job:  we access a remote network using one of a few IP addresses assigned to us.  However, there are more users and individual PC's than there are IP addy's assigned to us and everyone has to switch from the internal DHCP IP addy to one of the assigned ones to access this remote network.

We use this VPN method to both browse a remote network in internet explorer and move files using Interdev.  It'd be nice if we could get to the remote network by just typing in the URL in a browser without reassigning our machines with a new IP address acceptable to the remote network.  Couldn't we get one machine, a server, to do some NAT or routing with one static IP address seen by the remote VPN serving network and then have all of the machines on our network somehow relate to our routing/ nat server to connect to the remote VPN network?

If so, in Win2K server, which service do I use?  NAT actually doesn't seem right since we already have a DHCP server assigning IP's and a NAT server will want to do that (right?).  Routing seems like a solution... I'm not sure.

Thanks!
hadachekAsked:
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Pete LongConnect With a Mentor Technical ConsultantCommented:
hadachek

Is this problem still ongoing? The solutions above will work?

Either a server performing NAT or a Router as allready suggested will cure this problem. However most medium to large companies employ this functionality in their firewall, for example my network uses a PIX firewall to NAT my eternal address which is registered 194.189.188.0 to my internal addresses which are all 172.16.0.0 I also have internal registered subnets but the NAT is only performed on the 172 addresses.

I am not a fan of mounting NAT on a server (No matter where it is in the network) the first point of call security wise on your LAN should be your firewall.

Also using this method inbound VPN is a breeze to set up, using Cisco's own secure client.

Pete
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mmedwidCommented:
Seems to me you should be able to have one Win2K box act as a DHCP server and VPN router.  NAT server (or router or whatever) can be separate from the DHCP server.  You just disable DHCP on the NATting device.  I need to look up settings.  Or someone else may answer that.  
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mmedwidCommented:
And yes - buying a small router with VPN and NAT ability would do the trick. Most have a little DHCP server built into it or you can use one of the Win2K boxes - whatever.  The DHCP server should assign non-routable addresses to everyone in your office.  You set up the VPN tunnel such that only traffic destined for the other office get's sent down the tunnel to the other office.  And that traffic would not be NATted.  Traffic destined for the Internet would be NATted and sent directly to the Internet.

A Cisco router would handle this no problem.  But I'm sure there are other Cheapies down at Fry's or CompUSA that could handle the same job for a couple hundred bucks.
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NenadicCommented:
In Windows 2000 Server, you have Routing and Remote Access Service.

1. Set your server up as a VPN Server.
2. Create Demand-Dial Interface, specifying the remote network VPN server in the destination.
3. Create a static route, with the following:
   Interface: <Demand-dial_interface_you_just_created>
   Network: 0.0.0.0
   Netmask: 0.0.0.0

End result of above is that your Windows 2000 Server will be the only VPN client (utilising the only IP address available) and the remainder of your branch office network will be routed to the remote network.

Regards,
Nenadic
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hadachek:
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